Purchase-to-pay software leader Basware has announced the appointment of Karri Lehtonen to the role of Vice President of Basware in Australia and New Zealand.

With offices in Asia Pacific, US and Europe, Basware provides purchase-to-pay solutions and services to approximately 1,500 enterprises and one million users in over 50 countries around the globe.

In Australia and New Zealand, Basware currently has over 40 customers including Crown Worldwide, Hoyts Cinema, Flinders University, Wattyl, Star Track Express, Uniting Care Health and API (Priceline). Basware also has a growing number of resellers in Australia and New Zealand.

In this role, Lehtonen will be the driving force behind the development of Basware’s operations in Australia and New Zealand and is responsible for sales and marketing of Basware solutions in this emerging market.

Karri Lehtonen says, “We are seeing growing demand for electronic purchasing and invoicing solutions as Australian organisations realise the benefits of conducting business transactions electronically. According to The Cost of Control 2010 research, Australia has the highest percentage of CFOs using or planning to use purchasing automation and invoice automation in the next 12 months.”

These findings come fresh off the back of a global study commissioned by Basware and is based on the responses from 550 financial executives across Australia, USA and Europe. Research revealed more Australian CFOs are using or planning to use purchasing automation (84 per cent versus 64 per cent of the global sample) and invoicing automation (84 per cent versus 72 per cent of the global sample), compared to their counterparts in USA and Europe.

“Organisations across a broad range of vertical markets such as government, education, health, and transport and logistics are moving away from paper-based purchase-to-pay processes and towards automated invoice handling and procurement. I’m looking forward to seeing further growth in what is a young yet rapidly emerging market,” said Lehtonen.

Prior to this position, Lehtonen was the Head of Basware’s Legal Department and Vice President for Corporate Mergers and Acquisitions (M&A) where he was responsible for the M&A operations of Basware globally. Lehtonen has eight years experience working across virtually all aspects of Basware’s business in Europe.